32 JACK RABBITS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



Ill California jack rabbits are most abundant on some of tbe ricTiest 

 lands in the State, and tbey have been particularly injurious to the 

 vineyards and crops in the southern coast counties and in the San 

 Joaquin Valley. The following account of their ravages in west- 

 ern Fresno County, by Mr. Alvah A. Eaton, gives some idea of the 

 extraordinary numbers in the central part of the San Joa(5uin Valley, 

 and shows how a scanty food supply drives the rabbits to the culti- 

 vated fields. Mr. Eaton says: 



I arrived in Fresno, Cal., April 1, 1890, after what was known as a wet year, 

 i. e., rain enough had fallen to sprout wheat and raise a fair crop without irrigation. 

 These conditions were favorable for various 'tar' and 'alkali' Avceds (species of 

 Madia) which grew so luxuriantly that year that they prevented the heading 

 of wheat in several sections of the Riverdale country. The next year was dry, and 

 there was no wild feed that the rabbits could get, so they flocked to the wheat 

 fields, feeding on the wheat and hiding and breeding in the weeds. Many were 

 destroyed by burning the weeds, and by gunners, but it did not seem to make much 

 difference. To make matters worse, there had been a bounty of $5 a scalp placed on 

 coyotes, and these were mercilessly hunted, and the rabbits and squirrels throve in 

 consequence. 



During the summer of 1891 it was no uncommon thing to start 1,000 rabbits out of 

 a patch of weeds, and in one patch about a quarter of a mile long there were at 

 least 5,000. The winter of 1891-92 was also 'dry,' no feed springing up till late in 

 February. The rabbits were driven by hunger to the alfalfa fields. They gnawed 

 the tops of the stools to the roots, and even dug them out with their feet and ate 

 them. One 10-acre field of my brother's was more thickly covered with their drop- 

 pings than I ever saw a pasture covered with those of sheep. 



Such was the state of affairs in the spring of 1892 just previous to 

 the four great Fresno County ' drives,' which occurred in February and 

 March, resulting in the destruction of more than 43,000 rabbits. 



The damage which jack rabbits have done has been enormous, but it 

 is very difficult to obtain reliable statistics. The ' Visalia Delta ' of 

 February IG, 1888, estimated that the annual loss in Tulare County 

 amounted to more than $000,000. During the last six or seven years, 

 however, owing to the increased acreage under cultivation and the 

 vigor with which 'drives' have been conducted, the rabbits have been 

 kei)t pretty well in check. 



The loss on account of the depredations of rabbits in Victoria, 

 Australia, for the ten years, 1878-1888, has been estimated at about 

 $15,000,000 (£3,000,000).' 



PROTECTION OF ORCHARDS AND CROPS. 



The cost of properly protecting trees and vines is often a large item 

 in the expense of setting a new orchard or vineyard. Several methods 

 are commonly employed, but the one which is most effective, and the 

 only one which can be used for crops of all kinds, is the rabbit proof 

 fence. Kabbits which succeed in getting into the inclosure may be 

 shot or i)oisoned. 



'Jourii. Soc. Arts, London, XXXVII, No. 1879, Nov. 23, 1888, p. 22. 



